The Power of Acceptance - Impact Series Part Five -by Lydia Floren at Belovedlove

the power of acceptance impact part five

We impact each other’s lives in all kinds of ways. Last week I shared a story about how just being there for someone can greatly impact their lives. I was at a very low place, and put out a call to a friend, who came and just sat and listened to me as I opened up and shared a lot of ugly things about myself.

It was a powerful experience. But it was also scary.

Once you let down your defenses and let someone see a darker side of you, there is always the risk that they will distance themselves from you. They might do this because they deem you as unworthy. Since you aren’t the person they thought you were, they want nothing more to do with you. But there are lots of other reasons why someone may back off from a relationship after one person has shared some negative things about themselves. Some people are uncomfortable with any kind of vulnerability. They prefer to keep all their relationships superficial. Sometimes your sharing can prompt another person to examine their own life, and they don’t want to see their own faults. Or they may think that because you have been candid, that you expect the same from them, and they are not comfortable doing that. Regardless of the reason, when someone backs away from a relationship, it feels like rejection.

On the other hand, when someone chooses to accept you as you are, in the middle of all your mess, and keeps on loving you, that is a precious gift. It is a real life demonstration of how God loves and accepts you. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

There is only one person in the universe that knows it all—all the dirty rotten secrets, our hidden faults and sins. But still, like Adam and Eve, we often try to hide from Him, and occasionally fool ourselves into thinking that we can. Why do we do that? Are we afraid of letting him see who we really are? Do we think He will be angry with us, or reject us? Probably. But if we are afraid, that just shows how little we know God. He already knows everything, and loves us right where we are. It is who He is. His heart. His love.

It has been 10 years since my friend sat with me on my back porch and listened to me and loved me. And today, though she knows even more of my dark side than she did then, she has stuck around. I am blessed to say that she is still one of my dearest friends.

The power of acceptance

When we know someone’s faults, and choose to love them anyway, Christ’s love shines through us in a special way–a holy way. Because that is exactly the way God loves each of us.